Antivibration coupling for tubing



March 8, 1949. F, JACOBSON 2,463,625

ANTIVIBRATION COUPLING FOR TUBING Filed Aug.A 17, 1946 IN VEN TOR. kw/vz/ #masa/v Patented Mar. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTIVIBRATION COUPLING FOR TUBING Franz Jacobson, New York, N. Y. l Application August 17, 1946, Serial No. 691,208

3 Claims. l

This invention relates to a tube coupling designed particularly to absorb the vibration in tubing lines and thereby to prolong the life of the tubing to which the coupling is applied.

An object of the invention is to provide a coupling wherein the .tubing is protected against vibration at its most vulnerable portion which is located near its ilared end. This portion is vulnerable because of the unavoidable injury to the metal of the tubing when the latter is ilared.

The coupling constituting the subject matter of this invention consists of a connector, a nut and a sleeve. The connector is of conventional design such as is used for so-called flare fittings. The nut is also of more or less conventional design, differing, however, in that its internal thread is slightly longer than is usual in such nuts, and furthermore, in that it has rounded edges adjacent the opening in its base for purposes to be presently described. The .sleeve ,has special design and construction adapted particularly for protection of the tubing against vibration at its flared end as will be described.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel coupling having separable parts that may be quickly and simply assembled with tubing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a, coupling having a novel sleeve member that is simple and cheap to manufacture.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, this invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter to be described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims. reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, which shows, merely for the purposes of illustrative disclosure, a preferred embodiment of the invention, it being expressly understood, however, that changes may be made in practice within the scope of the claims without digressing from the inventive idea.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a vertical elevation partially in section of coupling embodying the invention united with tubing; and

Fig. 2 shows a sectional detail illustrating the parts during assembly.

Referring to the drawing, the sleeve S has a. bore I whose diameter is admeasured for sliding iit with the tube or tubing T. A conical flared seat II is provided at one end of the sleeve S and serves as a seat for the flared end I2 of the tubing T. The inner end of the sleeve S has an annular ilat portion I l adjacent rto its flared portion I2 and a cylindrical portion I4 adjacent to the flat portion I3. The cylindrical portion I4 terminates in an annular shoulder I5 for purposes presently t0 be described. The shoulder I5 is joined to a smaller diametered portion I6 of the sleeve S by a curved llet 'I. The smaller diametered portion I6 terminates at or adjacent to the opposite end of the sleeve S in a bulb-shaped ridge I8 projecting inwardly and outwardly of the sleeve surfaces and a rounded-oil end I9 for purposes presently to be described.

The nut N has an internally threaded portion 2B of enlarged diameter and an annular inwardly projecting shoulder portion 2l deining an opening 22 of smaller diameter. This smaller diametered opening 22 defines an annular shoulder 23 at its inner end with which the shoulder I5 of the sleeve S is adapted to engage. The opening 22 is admeasured to be slightly smaller in diameter than the maximum external diameter of the bulbshaped portion or ridge I8 of the sleeve S for purposes presently to be described. The shoulder portion 2i of the nut N has rounded upper and lower edges 24, 25 for purposes presently to be described.

A connector member C of conventional type is adapted to be screwed into the threaded portion 20 of the nut N. This connector C has a threaded plug portion 25 which is externally threaded to screw into the threaded portion 20 of the nut N. The inner end of this plug portion 25 is tapered at 26a complementary in shape to the flared seat II of the sleeve S and the outer end of the connector C is provided with a conventional hexagon wrench receiving portion 21. Connector C has a central bore or hole 28 which may be flared or tapered at 28a and threaded in its ilared portion for attachment to conventional ttings (not shown).

'In applying the three parts C, N and S just described to tubing T, the nut N is slidably mounted on the tubing T and the sleeve S is also slidably mounted on the tubing The tubing T is then ared at its inner end in conventional manner to provide the ilare I2. The sleeve S is then moved forwardly until its seat II engages the flare I2 of the tubing T. The conical end 26a. of the connector C is then inserted in the ilared end I2 of the tubing. Then the nut N is moved forwardly on the tubing and then turned clockwise (looking at the right hand end of Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing) by hand so that its thread 20 engages the rst few threads on the connector C. When the shoulder 23 of the nut N engages the shoulder I5 of the sleeve S, the rotation of 3 the nut N in clockwise direction is continued by, means oi a wrench to force the inner surface of shoulder portion 2l oi the nut N over the bulblike.ridge Il. oi sleeve S. as shown in rig. 2, thereby simultaneously deforming and pressing said bulb-like ridge I8 into the tubing T-as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and also forming a press ilt between the tubing T and the sleeve S. Once the shoulder portion 2i of the nut N has passed over the ridge Il, the said nut N can swivel freely on the cylindrical portion It oi the sleeve and continued rotation oi the nut N in clockwise direction by the means of a wrench peri'ects a leakproof joint between the conical end 26a oi the connector C, the ilare I2 on the tubing T and the seat II' oi the sleeve S. The curved edge 24 of the shoulder portion 2i on the nut N facilitates the forward movement of the nut over the bulbshaped ridge IB oi the sleeve.

In order to disconnect the coupling. the nut N is rotated in counter-clockwise direction. In

such motion the rounded-oi! portion 25 of the nut N is forced backwardly over the ridge Il, thus enabling the nut to be slid on tubing T for further dismantling oi the parts.

It will be seen that with the coupling lust described, the tubing T is protected against vibration at its vulnerable portion which is located near its flared end I2 because of the fact that the vibration in the tubing T is transferred from the tubing T through the pressed-in bulb end Il of the sleeve S, to the nut N and further to the connector C, thus eliminating vibration from the weakened ilared tubing end I2.

In conventional sleeves on nuts for ilare ittings, there is ample clearance between such sleeves or nuts, and consequently the vibration reaches its maximum at the weakened ared end of the tubing. Experience has shown that tubes connected with conventional ilared ilttings or couplings, nearly all break nea-r the ared end 'and thus cause costly interruption of services. With the coupling of this invention, however, all clearance between the tubing T and the sleeve S are elim'- inated at the portion where the bulb-like ridge I8 of the sleeve S is firmly pressed into the tubing T at 30, thus eliminating all vibration at the weakened flared end oi' the tubing T. Moreover, since the end I8 of the sleeve is smoothly rounded oil at the bulb-like ridge Il, it cannot injure the metal of the tubing T. Onthe contrary, the

slight reduction of the diameter of the tubing T eiected when the bulb-like ridge I8 is pressed into it forms-a slight annular corrugation at Il and thereby adds strength to the tubing T at that point. The maximum amount of vibration in the tubing T now occurs relatively rar removed from the weakened flared portion I2, namely, at I adjacent the bulb end II of the sleeve S. However, here the tubing T is entirely uninjured and even strengthened by the slight corrugationi Consequently, the life oi' the tubing T is prolonged, thus avoiding breakdowns oi expensive equipment connected therewith.

The sleeve S is made oi high tensile metal to resist maximum vibration. A substantial niiet I1 between thel cylindrical portion Il and the shoulder Il further strengthens it to successfully absorb vibration. The sleeve S moreover can be reused whenever the coupling has been disconnected. In the event that the coupling has to be entirely removed from tubing T, unscrew nut N until the latter is forced backwards over ridge I8 as previously described, then slide nut N iurther backwards, and cut tubing T at end I0 of 4 sleeve B. In order to remove the remaining portion oi tubing T out oi sleeve S, place the anv nular portion I3 oi' sleeve B on any kind oi tubular support having a bore a little larger than the 5 largest diameter of flare I2 oi the end portion oi tube T. Then use a short rod of a diameter equal to the normal or original outside diameter of tube T, apply it to the cut-oi! end of tube T protruding beyond end Il oi' sleeve S, and drive the remaining portion of tube T, in the direction of the annular g portion Il, out oi sleeve S. In order to reuse sleeve S for the next application, spread end I! of the sleeve slightly so as to facilitate the entering oi tubing T to which the coupling is to be re-applied.

The coupling hereinbefore described has all the advantages just pointed out. Moreover, it is comparatively simple in construction and may be produced in quantity at comparatively low cost.

While a speciilc embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, variations in structural detail' are possible and are contemplated. There is no intention, therefore, of limitation to the exact details shown and decribed.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for coupling iiexible metallic tubing to other parts and to eliminate vibration at the flared end of such tubing comprising a sleeve movable over said tubing, a nut and a connector member, said sleeve having a seat at one end for receiving the flared end of said tubing, a bulb-like ridge at its opposite end and a cylindrical portion between its ends, of smaller diameter than either end and joining the first-named end with a curved illlet to provide absorption for vibrations and to define an annular shoulder, and said nut having an internally threaded portion and a portion whose diameter is admeasured to ilt slidably on the said cylindrical portion of said sleeve and movable into abutting relationship with said shoulder but whose diameter is smaller thanthat of said bulb-like ridge, and said connector having a threaded plug portion to thread- 'edly engage said internally threaded portion of said nut whereby when the parts are assembled and tightened together to draw said secondnamed portion of said nut over said bulb-like ridge and onto said cylindrical portion thereby pressing said bulb-like ridge into said tubing.

pling exible metallic .tubing to other partsand to eliminatevibration at the flared end ot said tubing comprising a connector member adapted for attachment to said other parts, a sleeve movable over said tubing and a nut, said sleeve having a flat inner end portion with an inwardly .extending tapered seat for receiving the ared end of said tubing, a bulb-like ridge projecting inwardly and outwardly of the sleeve and adjacent its outer end portion and a cylindrical portion intermediate said seat and said ridge oi smaller diameter than either end portion and joining said inner end portion with a curved llet and defining a shoulder adjacent the llet, said nut having an internally threaded portion and an inwardly extending shoulder deilning a cylindrical opening whose diameter is less than that of said ridge, and admeasured to fit slidably on said cylindrical portion oi' said sleeve, and said connector having an externally threaded portion for threaded Aengagement with the internally threaded portion of said nut and a conical portion for engagement in the ilared end of said tubing, said inwardly extending shoulder of said nut 75 having rounded edges whereby when said con- 2. A device of the character described for couamaca y nector and said nut are tightened together said inwardly extending shoulder of said nut is drawn over said ridge onto said cylindrical portion of said sleeve thereby deforming and pressing said ridge into said tubing and thereafter said inwardly extending shoulder engages the sleeve shoulder to tighten said ilared portion ofsaid tubing against said seat by said conical portion to form leakproof seals between said conical portion and said flared end of said tubing and between the latter and said seat at said seat.

3. A device of the character described for coupling flexible metallic tubing to other parts and to eliminate vibration at the ilared end of said tubing comprising a connector member adapted for attachment to said other parts, a sleeve movable over said tubing and a nut, said sleeve havf ing a flat inner end portion with an inwardly extending seat for receiving the flared end of said tubing, a bulb-like ridge projecting inwardly and outwardly of the sleeve and adjacent its outer end portion and a cylindrical portion intermediate said seat and said ridge of smaller diameter than either end portion and joining said inner end portion with a curved llet and deiining a shoulder adjacent the llet, said nut having a threaded portion and an inwardly extending shoulder defining a cylindrical opening whose diameter is less than that oi' said ridge, and admeasured to iit slidably on said cylindrical portion of said sleeve, and said connector having a, threaded portion for threaded engagement with the threaded `tighten said ared portion of said tubing against said seat by said conical portion to form leakproof seals between said conical portion and said ilared end of said tubing and between the latter and said seat at said seat.

FRANZ JACOBSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED` STATES PATENTS Name Date Benzion Aug. 7, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 80,299 Sweden May 1, 1934 Number 

